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/ Lecce |
| Travel Guide Lecce, Italy |
 Lecce
Italy Travel Guide - Find the best travel tip, history, tourist
attractions, famous churches, travel information, and an exclusive
guide to shopping, food & drink and nightlife in Lecce, Italy.
This city of Lecce, Italy is a dream for people who love Baroque
architecture. Another typical Italian city, this place
is unique for the fact that it has a multicultural history. Many
civilizations had left their mark here and this is evident by the
variety of designs and styles in the architecture as well as the
multitude of crafts practised here. Situated in the south-eastern
cusp of Italy near Salento, the small city of Lecce is considered
an abode of cultural heritage. It is a flamboyant place with a mix
of all cultures like Norman, Spanish and even Byzantine. The beautiful
architecture of the masons, with their mix of animals, birds, monsters
and cherubs never cease to surprise tourists with their architectural
extravagance and eye for detail. In fact Lecce is known as the "La
Firenze delle Puglie" (The Florence of Apulia) as
it contains many monuments of significance. Baroque style is detailed
in every other building but is different from those in other nations.
The mild golden colored highly pliable stone, called ‘Lecce
stone’ is shaped by craftsmen who let their ideas
run wild especially when designing the facades.
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| History
of Lecce, Italy |
| Lecce over the years was conquered by many- the Norman,
the Byzantine, the Spanish and other dynasties had settled here and
left a lot of traces of their existence through their art and architecture.>>>>>More |
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| Places
to visit in Lecce, Italy |
 A
2nd century A.D Roman column, Colonna Romana, was erected in Piazza
Sant’Orozo, which is where the most important Roman ruins in
Lecce can be found. The column initially stood in Brindisi to signal
the end of the Appian Way. This column was brought down by a lightning
strike in 1528. >>>>>More |
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Churches
in Lecce, Italy |
 One
of the more significant monuments of the architect from the Norman
times Giuseppe Cino (a student of Zimbalo) is the Church of Saints
Nicolo and Cataldo. He gave the church a Baroque frontage but still
managed to retain the medieval architecture like the portal and the
central eye. The Church of Graces stands opposite the Sant’Oronzo
and has two huge tympani, one circular and one triangular.>>>>>More |
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| Holidays
and Tradition |
 For
an account of the past of the city through its habits and traditions,
a visit to the above mentioned Cerrate Abbey would be useful. The
Pizzica is a local traditional dance and has fabled origins. Drummers
in Lecce gather during the many festivals and off days in Lecce and
drum up a vigorous beat and the rhythm of the famous tarantula bite.>>>>>More |
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| Shopping
in Lecce, Italy |
 Materials
like the Lecce stone have made sure that craft flourishes in Lecce.
The place is famous for its conventional wrought iron goods- not surprising
considering its architectural culture. Ornamental grills and trivets
are big attractions and shoppers throng the Salvatore Mancarella to
get a taste of such items.>>>>>More |
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| Food
and Drink |
 How
can one step into Italy and not delve into food! Local specialties
like handmade pasta, bread, and fish thrill ones taste buds. Enoteca,
the food emporium is a big draw and so is The Picton, which is also
one of the more popular restaurants in the city where one could get
a taste of authentic Salento cuisine.>>>>>More |
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| Nightlife
in Lecce, Italy |
 Nightlife
is pretty vibrant in Lecce because of the large number of students
studying in the University of Lecce. Piazetta del Duca d’Atena
and Corto Maltese are two popular hangouts here.>>>>>More |
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| How
to get there |
| The state run FS line plies trains every hour from
Brindisi. Trains from Otranto also pass via Lecce everyday. The railway
station is about 2 kms away from the Piazza Sant’Oronzo. The
nearest airport is the Papola Casale in Brindisi which is about 40
kms away from Lecce.>>>>>More |
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